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Lawn Care Article Series
Practical
Tips For The Perfect Lawn
5
Places Fescue Can Make for a Great Lawn
Fescues
are grasses particularly well suited to cool season climates, though their resistance to drought
also makes them suited to dry climates. There are both tall
and short fescue varieties. Both kinds share the same main
characteristics: they are shade tolerant, stay green all year
long and are tolerant of droughts. First introduced into the
United States in the early part of the 19th century, fescue
grasses can be found growing in low, damp meadows and pastures
throughout North American and Europe, as well as some areas
of Northern Africa.
The fescue category is actually composed
of about one hundred difference sub-species of grasses. Some of these include creeping
red, hard, sheep and chewing fescue. Depending on your needs,
you will want to look at the difference species of Fescue grasses.
For example, Red Fescue has narrow, deep blades and can be
used to establish a lawn very quickly, whereas Hard Fescue
is a really hardy grass that is slow growing and requires little
maintenance. Fescue varieties are often mixed in with other
types of grass to increase the health and vitality of a lawn.
The things that all Fescues share are an ability to grow in
shady spots, drought resistance and an ability to grow well
with most other varieties of grass.
Here are some of the best spots to use Fescue grasses:
1. Cool, Damp Spots
Fescues are most suited to cooler and damper climates. Tall
Fescue can be somewhat drought resistant by going into a dormant
state when there is little water to be found, but on the whole
fescue grasses are more suited to low lying, damp areas.
2. Clay Soils
Fescue grasses can be adapted to different soil types, but
it is soils high in clay levels that most appeal to this variety
of grass. Clay soil with a high level of organic material will
yield the best results. If you have soil that is rich in clay
and organic matter, then fescue grass may be the best option
for you.
3. Shady Spots
This type of grass can grow in partial shade. Though virtually
all grass needs some kind of sun or light to thrive, there
are many varieties that need more light than your landscape
is able to provide. If that is the case then you might consider
looking into Fescue grass, which can survive in cool, shady
spots.
4. Transitional Zones
Though Fescue was originally thought best suited to cooler
season climates, it can also work really well in what is know
as the transitional zone of the United States. Places like
Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kentucky and the northern parts of Georgia
and Texas are all part of this transitional zone. Fescue grasses
can do very well in areas like because cool season grasses
do not survive due to humid summers and warm season grasses
fair no better because of colder winters. If you live in this
kind of transitional zone, Fescue grasses might be able to
thrive where other types of grasses have failed.
5. Round the Old Oak Tree
Because Fescues can survive in shady spots, these grasses
do really well under trees. It is often difficult to find grasses
that will do well under the shade of trees, but Fescue is one
of these varieties. If you’ve had trouble in the past with
grass around your trees, then you might try planting a variety
of Fescue grass. Because Fescue can do well in partial shade,
they are well suited to spots under trees that shed their leaves
every year.
If you are in a warm season growing climate, than Fescue really
isn’t the best option for you. There are many varieties of
grasses that do well in southern climates, but Fescues aren’t
one of them. If you are in a northern climate or the transitional
zone, then Fescue might be a good option to consider. Because
of the hardiness of this grass, it will work well on its own
in certain areas of your lawn and also play nice with other
varieties of grass. Mixing in Fescue grasses will help other
varieties of grasses you already have in your lawn, perform
better, and they might even fix problem shady areas on your
lawn. # # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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